The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald & News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance.
Friday, December 11, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today Snow flurries, mainly after 4pm. High near 37. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Overnight, snow mixed with rain, snow level 5100 feet, low around 32.
Saturday A slight chance of rain and snow before 10am, then a slight chance of rain after 4pm. Snow level 4300 feet rising to 5400 feet in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Rain overnight with a low around 34.
Sunday Rain. Snow level 5500 feet. High near 45. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Monday A 20% chance of snow before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39.
Tuesday A chance of snow before 1pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41.
Today’s Headlines
Klamath County Public Health officials reported 39 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. The local case count is 1,312. This week’s count is 153.
Those who have tested positive should let their close contacts know of their exposure. A close contact is someone who has been within six feet of a positive individual for 15 or more cumulative minutes, with or without a mask.
Jackson County Public Health on Thursday reported 60 new coronavirus cases and another fatality attributed to the virus. According to the agency, a 90-year-old woman tested positive on November 30 and died on December 7 at her residence. She had underlying conditions. This latest death brought Jackson County’s total to 45 since the pandemic began.
COVID-19 has claimed 13 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,123, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported yesterday. OHA also reported 1,586 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-, bringing the state total to 89,838.
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (11), Benton (30), Clackamas (101), Clatsop (13), Columbia (26), Coos (10), Crook (6), Curry (2), Deschutes (47), Douglas (20), Grant (1), Harney (2), Hood River (10), Jackson (60), Jefferson (52), Josephine (14), Klamath (38), Lake (2), Lane (117), Lincoln (7), Linn (58), Malheur (26), Marion (153), Morrow (14), Multnomah (400), Polk (30), Sherman (1), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (31), Union (2), Wallowa (1), Wasco (12), Washington (247) and Yamhill (35).
Congressman Greg Walden delivered his farewell address to Congress Thursday, broadcast across the country on C-SPAN. After 30 years plus of public service, Walden opted not to run for re-election this November.
Since 1999, he has represented Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, which geographically covers more than two-thirds of the state, mostly east of the Cascades. He’s the only Republican member of Oregon’s congressional delegation. He announced in 2019 that he would not seek re-election. Cliff Bentz will become Walden’s replacement in Congress for Oregon.
On Wednesday, Walden thanked the many people who have supported him along the way, including his family, colleagues and staff. He also thanked the people of Oregon.
“I am indeed thankful for the opportunity the people of Oregon have given me to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives,” he said. “It is a responsibility I have always taken seriously, and I faithfully tried to do my best to represent them.”
Walden’s last round trip home to the west coast from Washington DC will be his 674th, since taking office.
Sky Lakes Medical Center has an updated visitor policy in response to current COVID-19 precautions. Only one visitor per patient is allowed at any time.
Visitors must wear a face mask at all times in the Medical Center. You must maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others. Finally, limit travel inside the Medical Center. More information can be found on the Sky Lakes Website at skylakes dot org.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $1,839,947 million grant to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Klamath County Public Health and local partners to support ongoing efforts to improve air quality and protect community health in Klamath Falls, according to a news release.
Grant funds will be used to reduce harmful air pollution from wood smoke through a range of programs, including woodstove change-out and home weatherization that will improve heating efficiency and reduce heating costs for residents. The Klamath Falls community experiences high levels of harmful fine particle or PM2.5 emissions during the winter months, primarily due to smoke from residential woodstoves. Replacing woodstoves with non-wood burning devices such as gas inserts, furnaces and ductless heat pumps reduces emissions and improves air quality.
Poor air quality is particularly harmful for children, people over 65 and those with preexisting medical conditions.
City Councilor Kendall Bell accepted a Challenge Coin from Police Chief Dave Henslee on Monday night, a token of recognition for her time on Council and a gesture that is awarded intentionally.
The police chief was among many among the city’s Council and staff who shared well wishes to Bell as she was seated for her last Council meeting on Monday. Bell chose not to run for re-election due to the purchase of a lot outside her ward. Henslee shared that Bell was among the first people he met when he and his family relocated to Klamath Falls in 2015. Fellow City Councilor Dan Tofell also shared Bell’s impact on many of his votes over the last four years. Mayor Carol Westfall also recognized Bell for her service during the last four years.
High, buzzed, stoned, wasted — no matter the term, If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Keep the holidays merry and bright: Stay safe and sober by refusing to drive while impaired. Remember: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), in association with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), awarded the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office grant funds for traffic safety during 2020-2021 totaling $19,500.The grants are being used to increase traffic enforcement with focused patrols for Distracted Driving, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII), Occupant Protection (Safety Belts), Pedestrian Safety and Speed Enforcement.
This holiday season, from December 16th through January 2nd, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the national If You Feel Different, You Drive Different awareness campaign to help keep impaired drivers off the road. Always designate a sober driver to get you home safely if you’re impaired so you don’t wind up with coal in your stocking — or worse. If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.
Klamath Union High School is focusing its December Give back to our community fundraiser as “Bowling for CASA,” a virtual bowling tournament taking place Dec. 18.
The event will pit students against KU staff online. To watch this Facebook virtual bowling tournament, high school staff against students, visit KU’s Facebook page and click on Bowling for CASA, Friday December 18th at 9;00am. Klamath Union is seeking community support to donate a newly purchased pair of pajamas, infant to adult sizes, for CASA children and families. Community members can drop off their pajama donation in the donation box inside the Klamath Union High School front door on Monclaire Street. KU students are prepared to wrap pajama donations. For more information on Bowling for CASA contact Dan Stearns at Stearnsd@kfalls.k12.or.us, call 541-892-7511, or visit www.klamathfallscasa.org.
Public school students in Klamath County are receiving free water bottles thanks to a Healthy Klamath project to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Healthy Klamath, with a community outreach grant from the Oregon Health Authority, purchased nearly 10,000 water bottles for students as a way to promote hydration and reduce the spread of germs at frequently touched surfaces, such as drinking fountains. The idea is to provide water bottles for students to use at school because drinking fountains under the COVID-19 safety and health protocols are no longer accessible. District superintendents had expressed concern that not all students would have a water bottle available to bring to school with them.
Klamath Falls City Schools will distribute 2,800 blue water bottles, and Klamath County School District will distribute 6,800 white water bottles during their free grab and go meal programs. The water bottles are co-branded with the Healthy Klamath logo on one side and a school district logo on the opposite side.
Though things will look considerably different this year, Toys for Tots still plans to bring a little Christmas cheer to children in need across Klamath and Lake Counties.
The charity will be hosting a toy drive this Saturday at Lithia Ford of Klamath Falls to boost donations, especially after they received several hundred more applications to receive toys this year than in previous years. A service organization run by the United States Marine Corps, Toys for Tots collects brand new, unopened toys and distributes them to less fortunate families who may not be able to afford Christmas presents for their kids.
Klamath and Lake County Toys for Tots co-coordinator JoAnn Roberts said the pandemic-caused economic downturn has made the need for donations even greater locally. At the same time, people who would normally donate toys are now experiencing financial hardship themselves. Toys for Tots also had to cancel all of their fundraisers this year, which would have included outreach to encourage members of the community to donate toys. Many businesses that would normally have toy collection boxes also had to close amid Oregon’s most recent COVID-19 case spike. Around this time last year, Roberts said volunteers were picking up overflowing donation boxes. Now, they’re short on toys.
Salvation Army in Klamath Falls is working hard amid the global COVID-19 pandemic to continue to bring joy to youth this holiday season.
The local branch of the nonprofit is asking for the community’s help in gathering toys to distribute to local families later this month, despite the many challenges the pandemic has brought the local community.
Debi Leighton, service center coordinator for Salvation Army, said the nonprofit collected about 3,000 to 4,000 toys in 2019 and distributed them to 1,500 children. She foresees being able to give just as much this year, but due to COVID-19 and the loss of numerous giving trees and red kettles in the community, it will be a big challenge. The inability to gather in groups, and the closure of some businesses due to the pandemic, have largely reduced the presence of red kettles in local communities in the Klamath Basin and across the United States.
Rotary Club of Klamath Basin-Sunrise will provide gifts for children ages 3-5 on Friday, Dec. 11 through the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program.
Several Christmas trees provided courtesy of Mountain Valley Nursery and Santa welcomed vehicles to a drive-thru gift delivery event Friday afternoon coordinated by Rotary members as a way to assist child development in the Klamath Basin. Chartered in 1997, Sunrise Rotary Club members express their commitment to youth, “because we believe if children’s lives are improved now, they will be better citizens in our community in the future,” according to Holliday.
In keeping with this commitment to youth, their annual fundraiser Brats, Brews, & Blues Festival benefits primarily the Klamath Hospice and Camp Evergreen.
LANE CLOSURES for Monday, December 14, 2020
On Monday, December 14, 2020 the right hand lane on both southbound and northbound Washburn Way will be closed between Onyx Avenue and Edison Street. Minor modifications will be made to the median area in front of the new Les Schwab Tire. The closure will be weather dependent and will begin at 9:00 a.m. and last until approximately 3:00 p.m. If you would like more information about this topic, please call Ryan at (541) 583-3607.
Around the state of Oregon
The former UPS driver accused of shooting at drivers along I-5 in southern Oregon has been indicted on 34 counts in Jackson County Circuit Court, the county District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday. State troopers arrested 49-year-old Kenneth Ayers in August following a string of shootings between Douglas, Josephine, and Jackson counties — one of which injured a woman near Central Point. Wednesday, a Jackson County grand jury indicted Ayers on three counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, one count of Assault in the Second Degree, eight counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, 14 counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, two counts of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and six counts of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. Ayers’ next court date is scheduled for Thursday, where he is expected to be arraigned on the indictment. The case against him is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Virginia Greer.
An increasing number of Oregon restaurants are at risk of failing because of COVID-19. The National Restaurant Association says 80-percent of restaurants in Oregon report sales are down an average of 30-percent. Nearly 40-percent of restaurant owners say they’ll be out of business in six months if they don’t get a relief package from the federal government.
A new government report on high speed rail in the Pacific Northwest recommends that Oregon, Washington and British Columbia formalize their interest in a Cascadia bullet train by creating an independent body to plan and eventually build it. But a critic with a conservative think tank said the region should take heed of California’s high speed rail woes and end the Cascadia bullet train ambitions, the Northwest News Network reported. The new study built on previous state-sponsored studies that asserted there is sufficient demand for trains running at up to 250 miles per hour between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, British Columbia Premier John Horgan and Microsoft President Brad Smith on Tuesday renewed their endorsements of a Cascadia bullet train.
Holiday Tips from Oregon Health Authority
We know that holiday celebrations are important for many people in Oregon. Though many traditions involve gathering with our friends and family, this year the best way to honor loved ones is to celebrate at home with only the people we live with.
If you are considering gathering with people you don’t live with, here are some tips for making the decision:
- Check your county risk level to see what gathering size is allowed.
- Talk to the host about what steps are being taken to increase safety.
- Gathering outdoors is safer than indoors.
- Wear a mask indoors and outdoors.
- Avoid shouting or singing.
- Stay home if you are sick or have been near someone who thinks they may have or have been exposed to COVID-19.
- Remember, it’s OK if you decide to stay home and remain apart from others. Do what’s best for you.
Rather than canceling the holiday celebrations, plan your festivities and maintain your traditions with those in your household and include others virtually, including:
- Lighting candles over video together with family and friends near and far.
- Singing holiday songs with singalong.
- Watching holiday-themed movies as a family.
- Crafting or baking and dropping off what you’ve created without contact.
- Playing a game over the internet.
- Viewing holiday decorations around the neighborhood with people you live with, either by foot or car.
Requesting public comment on proposed driving restrictions for some Tillamook County ocean beaches
SALEM, Oregon – The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is requesting public comment on a proposed administrative rule amendment to restrict motor vehicles on two sections of the ocean beach in southern Tillamook County. The deadline for comments is 5 p.m., February 12, 2021.
One change would ban driving year-round from the mouth of Sand Lake south to the northern border of the Cape Kiwanda State Natural area, roughly in line with the southern edge of the unincorporated community of Tierra del Mar. Driving is currently prohibited on this beach at different times: it’s not allowed May 1 through September 30 (but limits can start in March if beach driving is closed to protect a threated shorebird during nesting season), and from sunrise to sunset on legal holidays, and on Saturdays and Sundays between October 1 and April 30.
The second change closes the beach to driving from a Tillamook County boat ramp in Pacific City, south about a quarter of a mile. Boaters will be able to park on the beach north of the boat ramp to the foot of Cape Kiwanda, and sometimes launch or land south of the boat ramp when the beach north of the ramp is unsafe. This section of beach is normally open year-round, but was temporarily closed in 2020 to vehicles, except boaters, amid state park staffing shortages and safety concerns related to mixing beach visitors and vehicles.
“We’re proposing these changes in cooperation with the county as we both try to improve the quality of the beach experience and keep people and vehicles from mixing on a busy beach,” says OPRD spokesperson Chris Havel. “The tricky part is striking a balance between those concerns and easy, fair access to the tremendous gift that is the Oregon ocean shore.”
Comments may be made online at https://bit.ly/tillamookbeachdriving, at a virtual public hearing on January 28, 2021 (details to follow), by email to oprd.publiccomment@oregon.gov, and in writing to:
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Attn.: Katie Gauthier
725 Summer St NE, Suite C
Salem OR 97301
Maps and the exact rule language are also online at https://bit.ly/tillamookbeachdriving
STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE PLEAD GUILTY FOR TRAFFICKING IN COUNTERFEIT GOODS FROM U.S. EMBASSY
EUGENE, Ore.—A U.S. Department of State employee and his spouse pleaded guilty this week to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. The guilty pleas took place before United States District Judge Michael J. McShane. Both defendants will be sentenced on March 18, 2021.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Ricardo Colon of the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), made the announcement.
According to the plea agreements, Gene Leroy Thompson Jr., 54, was employed by the U.S. Department of State as an Information Programs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Korea, a position that required Thompson Jr. to maintain a security clearance. Guojiao “Becky” Zhang, 40, is married to Thompson Jr. and resided with him in Seoul.
Between September 2017 and December 2019, the two conspired to sell counterfeit Vera Bradley handbags from e-commerce accounts to persons throughout the United States. Thompson Jr. used his State Department computer to create numerous accounts on a variety of e-commerce platforms. Once Thompson Jr. created these accounts, Zhang took primary responsibility for operating the accounts, communicating with customers, and procuring counterfeit merchandise to be stored in Oregon. Thompson Jr. and Zhang also directed a co-conspirator in Oregon to ship items to purchasers across the United States.
The case was investigated by the DSS Office of Special Investigations with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter of the District of Oregon.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.